Circular rib knitting machine



Jan. 12, 1937. E. J. TOWERS 2,067,805

I CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig v WW 2 Jan. 12, 1937. I E W R 2,067,805

CIRCULAR RIB KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Figs.

Patented Jan. 12, 1937 NiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 9, 1935, Serial No. 49,093 In Great Britain November 9, 1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in circular rib knitting machine for making elastic fabrics or garments, that is, knitted goods in which elastic threads are introduced in the 1 process of manufacture in order to give them a considerable amount of elasticity. Its object is to provide facilities for introducing the elastic thread into either every course knitted or every two or more courses as desired, in order to produce fabrics or garments of different strengths at different parts.

According to this invention, a circular rib knitting machine with a plurality of thread feeders is fitted with automatic means for positively feeding an elastic thread into the work and varying the rate of feed from time to time, one of the thread feeders hereinafter referred to as the main feeder which may be of the ordinary kind is always in action, while the remaining feeders and the associated knitting cams are adapted to be put into and out of action as required, and are hereinafter referred to as auxiliary feeders. Automatic means are provided for controlling these feeders and making the adjustments in the knitting cams which are necessary when each feeder goes out and comes into action again, and this automatic control is in addition to that provided in connecting with the elastic thread feeding mechanism.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan of a circular rib knitting machine with a fixed cylinder and rotating cam ring constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing part of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the knitting cams associated with each of the controlled thread feeders.

Fig. 4 is a plan showing the rib needle clearing cam actuating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a plan showing an alternative arrangement for adjusting the rib needle clearing cam.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2.

Like numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The invention is hereinafter described as applied toa circular rib knitting machine, in which the needle cylinder and rib needle dial are fixed and the cylinder and rib needle cams rotate and four thread feeders are shown, but this number may be increased.

In carrying out this invention the elastic thread feeder at 5 is as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, followed by a feeder I which may be an ordinary thread feeder, and this is followed by feeders 2 and 3 which are automatically con- 5 trolled, while the last feeder 4 may be either an ordinary feeder as shown, or an automatically controlled feeder of the same construction as 2 and 3.

The positive feed for the elastic thread (see Figs. 1 and 2) is of the usual construction, and comprises a fiat disc 6 which is carried on a vertical shaft mounted in a bearing secured to the cam ring 8, and this shaft is geared to a fixed gear wheel on the base of the machine so that the disc 6 is rotated about its own axis as it revolves with the cam ring 8, and the elastic thread I is carried between the face of this disc 6 and a roller 1! which is attached to a carriage 9 that is movable on the supporting bracket ll to and from the centre of the disc 6 so as to vary the rate of feed. The adjustment of this roller is effected by means of a screw ID in the bracket ll which is provided with a star wheel 12 and is geared to another l3, and these star wheels are turned by striking parts I 4 and 15, either of which is adapted to be raised into and out of the path of its star wheel l2 or l3 as they move round with the cam ring 8, by pattern chain mechanism of the usual kind. The roller H can thus be moved either to or from the centre of the disc 6 by actuating one star wheel I2 or the other 13.

The main ordinary thread feeder I, that follows the guide l6 which is secured on the cam ring 8 and lays the elastic thread 1 between the cylinder and rib needle loops, and the knitting cams associated with this feeder I, are of the usual construction and arrangement, as the yarn supplied at this feeder is knitted continuously so as to secure the elastic thread I in the work.

The automatically controlled feeders 2 and 3 which can be put into and out of action as required are of the construction shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. Each of these feeders which are secured on the cam ring 8, comprises a thread controlling finger 20 which is adapted to present the thread to the needles 2| in such a manner that the latter will take and knit the thread, and withdraw it at the required intervals, and associated with this finger is thread cutting and trapping means 22.

The thread finger 20 is actuated by a cam 23 on a vertical shaft 24 which is provided at its lower end with a star wheel 25, and the latter is adapted to engage with one or more vertical studs 26 (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and disposed on a striking plate 2? when the latter is raised, a movement which is controlled by the pattern chain mechanism to be hereinafter described and occurs at intervals when the feeders are to be put either in or out of action. The thread cutting and trapping is effected by a trapper slide 28 which is actuated by a cam 29 (see Fig. 4) on any axle which is geared to the vertical shaft 24.

Feeders of this type and controlled in the manner describedare usually used for inserting a splicing thread, but knitting cams are not provided in connection with them as their splicing threads are knitted together with the ground thread by the knitting cams in connection with the ground thread feeder. In the present case knitting cams are provided in connection with each of the automatically controlled feeders 2 and 3, and in order that the thread supply to the needles 2i can be stopped and started again at intervals as described, the clearing cams in connection with both the cylinder and rib needle cams must be adjustable so that they can be put partly out of action, otherwise it would follow that when one of these thread feeders withdraws its thread, the loops on the needles it would be cast off and form a gap in the work.

In order to obviate this, action, the cylinder and rib needle cams associated with each of the automatically controlled feeders 2 and 3,1

are constructed with adjustable clearing cams, and these cams are when the thread supply is stopped, adjusted so that they will not project either of the sets of needles far enough to clear their loops, but leave them in a position where they will retain their loops until they reach the next feeder that is in operation. This position of the needles and clearing cams is usually termed the tuck position.

In order to control the cylinder needle clearing cam 3| as described, it is as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 secured to a spring actuated plunger'32 disposed in the cam ring 3, and the upper end of the plunger is fitted with a depressing plate 33. The cam 3B is thus held up in its normal position by a spring, and is moved into its tuck position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 by depressing the plunger 32. The plunger is depressed by moving the free end ofan arm 33 on an axle 35 in the cam ring 8, over the depressing plate 33, which has a sloping upper surface that will permit of this action.

A second arm 36 is secured on the axle 35, and the free end of this arm is connected by means of a link 31 to the rib needle clearing cam 38 which is pivoted at 38a so that the latter 38 is moved at the same time as the cylinder needle clearing cam 3i. The inner end of the link 3i is formed with a slot which engages with a pin 39 on the rib needle clearing cam which projects up through a slot in the rib needle cam disc 33. The slot in the link 3! provides a lost motion connection which results in the clearing cam 38 being moved a little later than the cylinder needle clearing cam 35. V

The axle 35 is provided with another arm M, and the said axle is turned when the free end of this arm 4i comes into contact with the striking plate 21, a result which occurs when the latter is raised to the same level as the arm 4!.

This movement of the axle 35 retracts both the cylinder and rib needles clearing cams 3| and 33 into the tuck position, and they are reset by a reverse movement of the axle 35, which is effected by an arm 32, disposed at a lower level than the arm 3 l and is moved over by the striking plate Zl when the latter is raised to the level at which this arm 32 is disposed. This arm i2 is mounted on a second axle 43 in the cam ring 8, which is disposed near to the axle 35. These two axles are connected to each other by toothed wheels 33 on their lower ends, so that the arm d2 although its outer end is moved over in the same direction as the arm it, moves the axle 35 in the reverse direction to the arm 4!, and re-sets the latter at the same time as it restores the clearing cams 3! and 33 to their normal positions.

It thus follows that by raising the striking plate 2i to one level, the clearing cams 3i and 38 in connection with the feeders 2 and 3 are retracted, and subsequently re-set by raising the plate 27 to a different level, while the vertical pins 23 on said striking plate 21 with which the star wheels 25 on the thread feeders engage, is of such a height that they engage with it when the striking plate 2i is raised to either of the levels described. These different heights are determined by employing a pattern chain 43 (see Fig. 2) with lifts 39 of different heights thereon to act on the lever 53, which is provided to act on the plunger 2la. of the striking plate 2'! and raise and lower the said plate at the requisite periods. Similar pattern chains are employed to act on the levers 3i and 52 which are employed to raise and lower the tappet rods I l and E5 in connection with the elastic thread feeding mechanism.

The clearing cam adjusting mechanism in connection with each of the controllable thread feeders 2 and 3, is as previously described, adapted to retract the clearing cams into a position where they will project the needles 2! far enough to take the thread, but not far enough to clear their loops. If the thread supply is then maintained, with the cams in this position, tuck stitches will be made, and these feeders 2 and 3 can therefore be adapted to make either plain or tucked stitches at will, by adjustments of the clearing cams, and one feeder can be adjusted to make tuck stitches at the same time as the other is making plain stitches.

Adjustable rib needle clearing earns 38 may be provided in connection with any of the ordinary thread feeders employed, and independent means are provided for adjusting such cams. In this case any one or more of the said rib needle clearing cams 38 are connected to a ring 53 in the rib needle cam disc 33, and this ring is actuated by an independent arrangement similar to those previously described.

When the thread feeder i is as shown an ordinary feeder, an arrangement for adjusting the ring 53 and. the rib needle clearing cam 38 in connection with it is provided. This consists of two arms 53 and 555 on interconnected axles 56 and 51 in the cam ring 3, and one of these axles 56 is provided with an arm 53 which is connected by a link 53 to the ring This is a similar arrangement to that employed in connection with the feeders 2 and 3, but the arms 54 and 55 which are disposed at a different level to the arms 3! and 42, can be actuated by the same striking plate 21 as the latter, can thus put any of the rib needle clearing cams connected to the ring 53 stitches can be produced at this or any of the other ordinary feeders. The alteration described is effected by the same controlling arrangement as that previously described, but in this case, the thread supply is not automatically controlled, but can be put out of action by hand when it is not required.

The advantage of this arrangement is, that an expensive yarn can be supplied at one feeder and brought to the face of the work, and an inferior yarn used at another feeder directed to the back of the Work.

If preferred the ring 53 in the rib needle cam disc may be adjusted by the arrangement shown in Fig. 5. In this case two levers are employed, one 58 of which is pivoted to the cam disc as at 66 on the inner side of the ring 53, and has a pin and slot connection with the ring at an intermediate point 5|. The other lever 59 is pivoted to the cam disc at 62 on the outer side of the ring 53, and its inner end has a pin and slot connection with the ring at M, the same point as the other arm 58.

The outer ends of these arms 58 and 59 are adapted to engage with an independent striking part 63 which can be raised into the path of either of the arms, and it will be seen that the movement of one arm 58 will move the ring 53', in the reverse direction to the other 59, and that the arm moved will always re-set the other one. The striking part t3 which takes the form of a disc is disposed on the upper end of a plunger 64, and it is raised and lowered by pattern chain mechanism through the intermediary of a lever 85. The levers 5% El, 52 and 65 for raising and lowering the tappet plates or members are all disposed on a shaft 66 which is carried by a bracket 67 secured to the bed 53 of the machine.

With the arrangement described, it will be understood that the elastic thread is introduced every course when only the main thread feeder l is in action, and that it will be introduced every other course when one auxiliary feeder 2 is brought into operation, and every two courses when the two auxiliary feeders 2 and 3 are in operation, and that the change from one class of work to the other can be automatically effected without stopping the machine. It will also be appreciated that the number of auxiliary automatically controlled feeders that are available may be increased when the diameter of the! machine is large enough topermit of this increase in their number, and that by the facilities provided in connection with some of the feeders for producing tuck stitches, tucked courses may be introduced in the intervals between the courses in which the elastic threads are embodied, and means for introducing further variations in the structure of knitted elastic fabrics also provided.

I claim:

1. In a circular rib knitting machine, the combination of cylinder needles, knitting cams in the cam ring for actuating these needles, rib needles, knitting cams in the rib needle cam disc for actuating these needles, positive elastic thread feeding mechanism, means for controlling the rate of feed of the latter, a plurality of thread feeders one or more of which is adapted to supply its thread to and withdraw it from the needles, associated thread cutting and trapping mecha ism, means for actuating the thread feeder and cutting and trapping mechanism, an adjustable clearing cam in the cylinder needle knitting cams of such thread feeders, an adjustable clearing cam in the rib needle knitting cams of such feeders, and means for adjusting these clearing cams at such times as the feeder presents its thread to and withdraws it from the needles, substantially as described.

2. In a circular rib knitting machine, the combination of cylinder needles, knitting cams in the cam ring for actuating these needles, rib needles, knitting cams in the rib needle cam disc for actuating these needles, positive elastic thread feeding mechanism, means for controlling the rate of feed of th latter, a plurality of thread feeders one or more of which has a movable thread finger which is adapted to supply its thread to and withdraw it from the needles, associated thread cutting and trapping mechanism, means for actuating the thread feeder and cutting and trapping mechanism consisting of a star wheel on the thread finger actuating cam axle and studs which can be raised into the path of the said star Wheel as it moves round with the cam ring, an adjustable clearing cam in the cylinder needle knitting cams of such thread feeders, an adjustable clearing cam in the rib needle knitting cams of such feeders, and means for adjusting these clearing cams at such times as the feeder presents its thread to and withdraws it from the needles, substantially as described.

3. In a circular rib knitting machine, the combination of cylinder needles, knitting, cams for actuating these needles, rib needles, knitting cams for actuating these needles, positive elastic thread feeding mechanism, means for controlling the rate of feed of the latter, a plurality of thread feeders one or more of which is adapted to supply its thread to and withdraw it from the needles, associated thread cutting and trapping mechanism, means for actuating the thread cutting and trapping mechanism, an adjustable clearing cam in the cylinder knitting cams in connection with such feeders secured to a spring actuated plunger in the cam ring, an adjustable clearing cam which is pivoted in the rib needle knitting cams in connection with such feeders, an axle in the cam ring provided with an arm which is adapted to move over and depress the cylinder needle clearing plunger, 9. second arm on this axle which is connected by a link to the rib needle clearing cam, a third arm on this axle which is adapted to engage with a stationary striking plate, and a resetting arm which is adapted to engage with the same striking plate disposed on a second axle in the cam ring which is geared to the first, substantially as described.

4. In a circular rib knitting machine, the combination of cylinder needles, knitting cams for actuating these needles, rib needles, knitting cams for actuating these needles, positive elastic thread feeding mechanism consisting of a rotating disc which is geared to a fixed wheel on the base of the machine, a roller which holds the elastic thread on the face of the disc, a screw for moving the roller to and from centre of the disc, a star wheel on and another geared to said screw, and adjustable tappet rods which can be moved into and out of the path of the said star wheels, a plurality of thread feeders one or more of which is adapted to supply its thread to and withdraw it from the needles, associated thread cutting and trapping mechanism, means for actuating the thread feeder and cutting and trapping mechanism, an adjustable clearing cam in the cylinder needle knitting cams connected with such feeders, an adjustable clearing cam in the corresponding rib needle knitting cams, and means for adjusting the clearing cams at such times as the feeder supplies its thread to and withdraws it from the needles, substantially as described. I

5. In a circular rib knitting machine, the com bination of cylinder needles, knitting cams in the cam ring for actuating these needles, rib needles, knitting cams in the rib needle cam disc for actuating these needles-positive elastic thread feeding mechanism, means for controlling the rate of feed of the latter, a plurality of thread feeders, an adjustable pivoted clearing cam in the rib needle knitting cams of one or more of these feeders, a ring in the rib needle cam disc to which the adjustable clearing cams are connected, and means for adjusting this ring and the clearing cam or cams connected thereto comprising an axle in the cam ring with an arm thereon, a link for connecting this arm to the ring, another arm on this axie which is adapted to engage with an adjustable striking plate, and a re-setting arm which is adapted to engage with the same striking plate and is disposed on another axle which is geared to the first, substantially as described.

6. In a circular rib knitting machine, the combination of cylinder needles, knitting cams in the cam ring for actuating these needles, rib needles, knitting cams in the rib needle cam disc for actuating these needles, positive elastic thread feeding mechanism, means for controlling the rate of feed of the latter, a plurality of thread feeders, an adjustable pivoted clearing cam in the rib needle knitting cams of one or more of these feeders, a ring in the rib needle cam disc to which the adjustable clearing cams are connected, and means for adjusting this ring and the clearing cam or earns connected thereto, comprising two levers which are pivoted to the rib needle cam disc, one on the inner and.

the other on the outer side of the said ring, so that one will move it in the reverse direction to the other, and a striking plate for the outer ends of the arms to engage with substantially as described.

ERNEST JOHN TOWERS. 

